Whether you’re a first-time cruiser or someone who has sailed all seven seas, there’s a relatively new trend making waves on cruise ships: the cruising duck. These little rubber ducks are becoming a secret (well, not-so-secret anymore) passenger pastime, adding a dose of silly fun to your vacation.
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What Are Cruising Ducks?
The story goes that this phenomenon started in 2018 when an 11-year-old girl named Abby brought 50 rubber ducks on a spring break cruise with her mom. They hid them around the ship for other passengers to find throughout the cruise.
They had fun hiding them, and people loved finding the ducks. You can now find cruising ducks on most cruises, with Facebook groups dedicated to cruising ducks boasting hundreds of thousands of members, in addition to the joy of sharing within the Facebook page dedicated to your cruise. You don’t need to be on Facebook to hide or find them, since this is fun for everyone and isn’t tied to any social media platform.
The ducks are similar to the Jeep ducks, and you will find everything from a “standard” yellow duck to ducks that are themed for a holiday that occurs during the cruise, and so much more. It’s something that brings a smile to people’s faces with a dose of whimsy on vacation. You’ll even find the cruising ducks at some resorts now, too.
Cruising Ducks Permissions By Cruise Line
While the trend is catching on, it’s always best to check with your specific cruise line beforehand. Some lines fully embrace the ducky delight, while others might have (or create) policies against small toys being left around the ship.
Most cruise lines welcome the ducks, and I have personally found ducks on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian in the past few years. Even adults-only cruise lines like Virgin Voyages allow the cruise duck phenomenon.
You are less likely to find cruising ducks on cruise lines based outside the United States, but the trend is spreading. The same holds true for cruises that focus on older adults and river cruises like AmaWaterways, Viking, Silversea, and Princess Cruises. That doesn’t mean that the cruise lines have prohibited hiding ducks or that you won’t find any, but it is not at the same level as other cruise ships.
Carnival
Carnival officially allows cruising ducks as part of their “Fun Ship” philosophy. I find more ducks on Carnival than any other line I cruise.
You can hide the ducks anywhere in a public space, and many people create mailboxes they attach to their cabin doors with magnets to trade with others. Avoid areas where the ducks might blow away, be a safety hazard, or be in the shops.
I shared the full rules that pretty much all cruise lines use for where you can and – most importantly – where you cannot hide the ducks below. You don’t want your duck confiscated!
Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean allows cruising ducks with some caveats. They tend to tolerate them more than celebrate them the way Carnival does.
The biggest thing to know on Royal is that you cannot hide ducks in the Central Park areas of the Oasis- and Icon-class ships, as people were damaging the live plants. The other main rules apply: ducks have to be in public areas and not anywhere they can cause a hazard.
Princess
Princess does not have a policy that forbids the cruising ducks, but they tolerate them. The expectation here is that guests don’t make a mess or cause issues with the ducks, so follow the rules outlined above.
Norwegian
While Norwegian has not officially banned cruising ducks, the cruise line does discourage them. They see the ducks as clutter, potential tripping hazards, and litter.
That said, I was just on a Norwegian cruise, and I saw ducks on the ship. I also saw a crew member following behind someone and picking up the ducks after they hid them, so know that your hidden ducks may not make it to their intended new homes.
Virgin Voyages
Virgin doesn’t prohibit the cruising ducks, and you will find some people participating. The cruise line generally turns a pretty blind eye so long as the ducks are put in public areas and safely hidden, as I talked about.
As an adults-only cruise line, you will find some people who get grumpy about the cruising ducks, but ignore them. Others love the tradition and have fun with it. Live and let live, right?
Disney
The main cruise line that actively prohibits hiding ducks is, surprisingly, Disney Cruise Line. The Disney official policy is that you cannot hide any items in public areas or staterooms, and crew members will actively discard any they see, as they view this as a safety hazard to other passengers and the environment. Keep this in mind if you book a Disney cruise.
What Size Ducks Are Best?
Standard rubber ducks are the classic choice, as they are easy to tuck away in nooks and crannies and easy for passengers to spot. However, cruisers are starting to expand what they hide.
Whatever you do, please don’t purchase ducks that are also whistles or labeled as squeaky. They are highly annoying to listen to incessantly for many people, and kids especially find it hard to resist blowing any whistle they find.
The standard-size ducks honestly seem to work the best. While cheaper, the tiny plastic ducks are harder to find, and you cannot include the tags that let people know who shared the ducks, which is part of the fun.
Pro tip: Buy the tags and ducks separately. It’s generally far cheaper for you, and it also lets you choose exactly which ducks you get. (Ducks with personality are fun!)
Cruise Duck Ideas Beyond The Rubber Duck
The classic yellow rubber duck still works. But the ducks I’m finding on ships lately are a lot more interesting than that.
If you’re cruising around a holiday, people find ducks that fit the theme, from Santa to bride and groom to vampire ducks. It helps people remember which cruise they got a duck from and makes it even more fun.
3D printed ducks are everywhere now. If you don’t own a printer, check your local library, because many have makerspaces you can use for the cost of the filament.
Crocheted ducks are the ones people seem to really love finding if you have that kind of talent. They’re soft, they pack flat, and they’re obviously handmade, which makes finding one feel different than picking up a plastic duck.
Then there’s the poker chip trick. People glue a small duck onto a poker chip so it stands up on its own instead of rolling off a railing, and the chip gives you a flat surface for your tag.
Keychain ducks are the practical option. Whoever finds it can clip it to a lanyard or a bag right away instead of carrying a loose duck around the ship all day.
Some people also hide larger ducks, and I even saw a stuffed duck over a foot long on my last cruise. Those become harder to carry, both for the person who hides the duck and the person who finds it. Additionally, hiding a larger item in a safe place that can be found gets harder.
Which one you pick comes down to how much you want to make versus buy. I’d start with plain rubber ducks on your first cruise and get fancier once you know you enjoy it.
Where Should You Hide Cruising Ducks?
When you hide the duck, it has to be in a public place and in a safe area. You want it to be somewhat hidden so people have to look a little, but you don’t want it so hard to find that no one discovers it.
There is a sweet spot for hiding. On my last cruise, a few people hid them so well that days later, they were still there, so they had to provide hints on the Facebook page to help people find them, and I’m not sure anyone actually did. That’s no fun for anyone.
The fun of cruising ducks is the element of surprise. When you least expect it and find a duck, that’s what brings joy to so many. Think creatively when you choose where to hide them – or where to look for them.
Plant a duck in a life vest on a pool chair, tuck one under a bar stool, or hide one on top of a game in the library. We often find ducks in hallways on a railing or resting atop a piece of artwork, but there are so many options, which is what keeps it interesting.
Other popular hiding spots include:
- On a machine in the casino along the path from one end to the other
- Near a restaurant entrance
- On top of sculptures
- In the elevators
- On top of signs
- Resting on brochure displays at the Guest Services or Excursions desks
- In a corner, just about anywhere
- Sitting on tables or chairs throughout the ship in lounges, bars, and other seating areas
- On top of or within decorations on the ship, but still visible when you glance at them
- In plants and greenery
- Tucked into seat cushions (but still visible or something you can feel when you sit down)
Where Can You Not Hide Ducks?
There are places where you cannot hide ducks. Make sure there are no safety hazards, and don’t put them anywhere that might damage the ship.
That means you cannot put them in hot tubs or pools, on or in sprinklers, blocking fire doors, and the like. You also may not hide ducks in any of the stores on the ship.
Public areas mean that you cannot hide them in crew-only areas, which should be fairly obvious. Restrooms and spa treatment rooms are also forbidden. Lastly, do not hide the ducks in food serving dishes along the buffet line, as any found there requires all the food in that serving dish to be thrown away.
The other consideration is wind. Just like you cannot put your swimsuits out to dry on your balcony because they may accidentally fly into the ocean, you must be sure to place your cruising ducks somewhere where the wind won’t blow them overboard.
Cruising Ducks Tips
Choose ducks that make you happy. You can go with the standard yellow duck or find a set with creative designs and decorations.
It’s up to you how many ducks you bring to hide. Many people choose to bring 50 or 60 ducks, while others bring 100 or more. Some choose to bring just 5 or 10, so don’t feel pressure to bring a certain number.
Don’t hide them all the first day, and don’t wait until the last day to hide them. It’s fun to spread it out and hide a few here and there. If you wait until the end of the cruise, they may not be found before you disembark.
We tend to bring five or so in the bag we carry throughout the day. If we find a good spot and don’t see people around, we hide a duck and move on. This lets us be flexible and helps ensure people don’t take it immediately after we hide the duck.
We also include tags on the ducks, which help people know whose duck they found. These generally include the cruise ship and date of the cruise, along with the family name of who hid the duck. Attach them with a rubber band around the duck’s neck to keep them secure.
What to Do When You Find a Duck
When you find a duck, you have three options. You can leave it there for the next person to find, just happy that you spotted one, though this is the least common reaction. Most people choose to either keep the duck as a souvenir or re-hide it for someone else to enjoy.
If you have a favorite design or plan to collect the ducks, keep it. If you plan to throw it away when you get home or on the ship, hide it for another guest to find instead, to avoid additional garbage and waste.
We keep the ones that have truly unique designs, as my youngest kid collects those fun rubber ducks and has for years. We rehide the rest in a new spot after we post a picture of our find in our cruise Facebook group.
Most I’ve seen include a tag around the neck with the family name that hid it. Some tags have specific hashtags you can use to share your discovery on social media, as well. People love to know their ducks were found.
Now that you know, will you participate in the cruising ducks trend?
It’s fun to do. And if you aren’t into it, just walk past. For the rest of us, the next time you set sail, pack a few little rubber ducks and join the fun. You might just spread some smiles, create lasting memories, and become part of this delightful cruise ship tradition.
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